Emirates has added more flights connecting Dubai and Australia, and will cease its existing connecting route between Singapore and Melbourne. In Saudi Arabia, work is unfolding on the kingdom's ambitious rewilding plans.
It was a big moment in France this week as the renowned Notre Dame Cathedral finally reopened after a five-year, $737 million restoration project. And the first Rixos hotel is heading to Vietnam, while a Michelin-lauded pop-up is coming to Abu Dhabi's first adults-only resort.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Rewilding Saudi Arabia: Half a million trees planted at Sharaan Nature Reserve
AlUla’s landscapes have turned a deep shade of green after the successful planting of more than 500,000 trees and shrubs.
The Royal Commission for AlUla spearheaded the project at Sharaan Nature Reserve in Saudi's Madinah province. Among the flora planted are several indigenous species, including acacia trees, flowering grasses and rare species such as Pulicaria incisa – an aromatic herb with small yellow sunflower blooms.
The new plants and trees will provide habitat and food sources for the region’s newly released wildlife. The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's Green Initiative, a broader plan to plant 10 billion trees nationwide. The first 600 million trees are expected to be planted by 2030.
To further enhance the region's biodiversity, more than 1,000 native animals – including ibex, idmi gazelle and red-necked ostrich – have already been reintroduced to AlUla's protected nature reserves. Spanning 1,500 square kilometres, Sharaan Nature Reserve is on track to be the site of the possible reintroduction of Arabian leopards to AlUla's mountains.
Emirates adds non-stop Melbourne flights and drops Singapore stopovers
Travellers heading Down Under from Dubai will soon have new options for flights as Emirates announces a third non-stop service to Melbourne. Operated via the Dubai airline’s newly retrofitted Boeing 777, flights will begin on March 30. Passengers can book tickets in four classes of travel, including the airline's newest Premium Economy cabins.
Emirates currently operates two non-stop daily flights between Dubai and Melbourne using its new Airbus A380 jets. Travellers can also fly to Melbourne via a connection in Singapore on an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER flight. This service will cease in March when the new non-stop flights from Dubai to Melbourne commence. Travellers with bookings on the Singapore route due to fly after March 30 will be offered alternative travel arrangements or a full refund.
The third daily non-stop flight to Melbourne will see Emirates' capacity to Australia restored to pre-pandemic levels. It will be the 77th weekly service to the country from Dubai, following the resumption of the airline's second daily Perth service, which started on December 1.
Notre Dame Cathedral reopens after five-year restoration project
Five years after a fire ravaged Notre Dame, the historic cathedral has reopened to the public. Several world leaders attended an official and religious ceremony on Sunday, which was headed by the Archbishop of Paris and attended by France's President Emmanuel Macron. The head of the church declared the cathedral open by striking the doors of the historic building three times with a staff constructed from a former wooden ceiling beam that survived the April 2019 blaze.
Members of the public are now able to visit the Gothic medieval masterpiece, which was restored in record time for a structure that took about two centuries to build. Tickets can be booked online and admission to the main section of the Notre Dame Cathedral remains free, but visitors may need to pay entry fees to access special areas of the building or to take a guided tour.
Authorities have introduced several safety measures designed to protect the historic structure as it reopens, as well as ensuring visitor safety. These include a timed entry system and reduced capacity of visitors at one time. The Catholic church is expecting to welcome about 40,000 visitors per day, or 15 million annually, up from about 13 million before the fire. Restoration works will continue at the landmark until 2026, with new stained glass windows still to be installed and the apse and sacristy to be completed.
Rixos debuts in South-east Asia with all-inclusive resort in Vietnam
Famed for its all-inclusive resort concept, Rixos hotels is set to make its debut in South-east Asia with the launch of Rixos Phu Quoc.
Slated to open in 2026, the resort is located on Vietnam’s Hon Thom island, a destination known for its natural scenery and luxury leisure facilities that is reachable via a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s largest city.
“The exclusive island of Phu Quoc, with its breath-taking landscape, sandy beaches and clear blue waters, will bring the Rixos all-inclusive experience to Asia for the first time,” said Gaurav Bhushan, co-chief executive at Ennismore.
Rixos Phu Quoc will be a sprawling property with a design inspired by a royal palace. It will have 1,300 guest rooms, 207 of which will be suites, and all rooms will come with ocean views and access to a private beach.
Entirely family-friendly, the resort will have a beach, several playgrounds, as well as a Rixy Kids Club, where little ones of all ages can be entertained. And there’s a theme park right on the resort's doorstep for those seeking even more adventure. Various water sports and recreation activities will be on offer, including outdoor chess, bowling and tennis.
The resort's all-inclusive concept will also give travellers access to activities in the surrounding neighbourhood, including on Sunset Town, the world's longest three-wire cable car over an ocean, as well as Aquatopia water park at Sun World Hon Thom.
Michelin-lauded dining at Abu Dhabi's first adults-only retreat
Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat will kick off the new year in style with a short series of Michelin-quality dining events. Portuguese chef Louis Anjos will be flying in to host three gastronomy evenings at the resort on the coastline of Ghantoot.
Passionate about Portuguese cuisine, the chef has led several Michelin-starred establishments to fame, including Bon Bon, a one-starred restaurant in Lagoa, and Portugal's one-starred Al Sud. In the UAE, he'll be focusing on using seasonal ingredients via a creative five-course menu.
Priced from Dh2,500 per couple, the dinner will be served at Thalassa and is set to be an intimate experience with only 10 tables per seating. Highlights on the menu will include caviar-kissed tuna and lobster royale, both dishes showcasing the chef's prowess in blending classic recipes with a contemporary twist.
Located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat is the UAE capital's first luxury adults-only resort. Inspired by the Greek island of the same name, the villa resort opened in February and has 22 whitewashed accommodations, all with sea views.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
'Midnights'
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Read more about the coronavirus
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Zayed Sustainability Prize
More on animal trafficking
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Getting%20there%20
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UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Disposing of non-recycleable masks
Use your ‘black bag’ bin at home
Do not put them in a recycling bin
Take them home with you if there is no litter bin
- No need to bag the mask
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Barbie
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The five pillars of Islam
Zayed Sustainability Prize
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
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